Supporting Students with Disabilities in the Job Corps Program

1. Supporting Students with Disabilities in the Job Corps Program Behavior

2. Kimberly JonesRegional Disability CoordinatorHumanitas

3. Overview • Disability and Functional Limitations and Behavioral Considerations • What is a Reasonable Accommodation? • Reasonable Accommodation vs. Case Management • RAC Process Need to Know • Resources

4. Your Role • Learn about the basic characteristics of a variety of types of disorders. • Review behavior manifestations in light of the disability and determine if adjustments in accommodations are needed. • Participate in the RAC, as appropriate. • Ensure that accommodations under your responsibility are implemented and effective. • Communicate regularly with the DC.

5. Definitions, Examples and More Disability and Functional Limitations, Behavioral Consideration

6. Key Information for CSOs/SPOs/Residential Staff • Must understand the basics of various disorders and conditions • Sensory Processing Disorder/Sensitivities • Mental Health Conditions • Spectrum Disorders • Traumatic Brain Injuries • And more… WHY?

7. Here’s Why… • Conditions and disabilities may impactthe way an individual responds or is able to respond to various stimuli, frustrations, and so forth. • We want to assist the individual in being able to manage these situations successfully as this is critical to employability. • Accommodations • Case Management Supports • Use of Strategies

8. What is the Definition of a Disability? • A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of such individual

9. Major Life Activities

10. Examples of Physical and Mental Disabilities • Orthopedic • Visual • Speech • Hearing • Intellectual disability • Specific learning disabilities • HIV • Cerebral palsy • Epilepsy • Muscular dystrophy • Multiple sclerosis • Cancer • Diabetes • Emotional illness • Drug addiction • Alcoholism

11. What is NOT Considered a Mental or Physical Impairment? • Lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender • Normal pregnancy • Environmental, cultural, and economic disadvantages (e.g., a prison record or a lack of education) • Limited English proficiency/English as a second language

12. Functional Limitations Definition: The inability to perform an action or a set of actions, either physical or mental, because of physical or emotional restriction2 • Time Management • Organization and Prioritization • Social Skills • Concentration • Memory • Communication • Stamina • Responding to Change • Screening Out Environmental Stimuli • Managing Stress 2Brodwin, M., Tellez, F., Brodwin, S. (1993). Medical, Psychosocial and Vocational Aspects of Disability. Athens, GA: Elliott and Fitzpatrick, Inc.

13. Remember! • Individuals with the same diagnosis may and often do have needs that are unique to them; the same disability may manifest itself in different ways in different people. • There is no list of accommodations appropriate for a particular condition. Accommodations are determined on a case-by-case basis. • Functional limitations • Strengths

14. Functional Limitations • Screening Out Environmental Stimuli • An applicant with ADHD reports being easily distracted may not be able to work in a large group. • Concentration • An applicant reports having depression and has trouble focusing on tasks for extended periods. • Stamina • Student with a diagnosis of schizophrenia reports not having energy to do residential chores in the morning and combating drowsiness in the afternoon due to medications.

15. Functional Limitations • Change • A student with anxiety disorder may take longer to learn new routines, or feel stressed when new students arrive in the dorm. • Managing Stress • An applicant with a personality disorder indicates that when stressed by deadlines and workload has a hard time managing emotions and sometimes gets into verbal conflicts with peers. • Social Skills • A student with Asperger’s does not talk much with other students during down time in the dorm and has trouble reading subtle social cues in a group setting.

16. Sensory Processing • Individuals with sensory processing disorder or sensory sensitivities may experience heightened responses to sensory stimuli • Noise – loud noises might be painful to the individual • Color – certain colors may make it difficult for the individual to pay attention • Touch – may be hypersensitive to touch, particularly around head, face or during nail clipping • Smell – may be hypersensitive to smells and may feel ill

17. Behavioral Considerations • Individuals with certain spectrum or mental health disorders can interpret rules literally and can be rigid about following them in a particular way. • Teach the student cause/effect relationships for better understanding of center and rule requirements. • Preferably write the rules down for them and review together. • Provide clear concrete expectations and rules for behavior. • Have them explain what the rules mean to them. Clarify as needed.

18. Behavioral Considerations • Avoid escalating power struggles as these individuals may not understand the situation or pick up on the anger until it is too late. They may become more rigid and stubbornif confronted in a forceful and rigid method. • If the student is becoming more rigid, stubborn, or resistant to direction. Step back and give the individual time to cool down. • Remain calm.

19. Behavioral Considerations • Take preventative action to avoid these situations whenever possible. • Use humor to diffuse tension. • Offer two choices as options (if possible). • Redirect through diversion of attention to something else. • Again, allow time for the individual to regroup and regain level of calmness.

20. Definitions, Examples and More Reasonable Accommodation

21. What is Reasonable Accommodation? • Any changes to the environment or in the way things are customarily done, that gives a person with a disability an opportunity to participate in the application process, job, program or activity that is equal to the opportunity given to similarly situated people without disabilities.

22. Examples of Reasonable Accommodations • A modification to: • Job • Work/academic environment • Policy, program, or procedure • Examples: • Modifying a facility • Modifying work or training schedules • Acquiring or modifying equipment or devices • Adjusting or modifying examinations, training materials, or policies • Providing communication access

23. Accommodations:Screening Out Environmental Stimuli • Help arrange the student's environment • Redesign space • Minimize auditory/visual distractions • Reduce clutter

24. Accommodations: Maintaining Concentration • Help arrange the student’s schedule • Prioritize tasks/activities/assignments • By day, week, month, etc. • Identify student’s patterns in activity • Example: “you do this 3 times each week” • Emphasize due dates on calendars • Develop a color-coded system (each color represents a task, or event, or level of importance) • Ensure accuracy of entries on calendar or I-Phone

25. Accommodations – Maintaining Stamina • Arrange for longer/more frequent breaks between activities • Help student pace their workload and social activities • Develop substitution strategies (for times when a student cannot keep their obligation to the event or activity)

26. Accommodations: Managing Change (Transition) • Recognize that change can be difficult (physically/mentally) • Maintain special channels of communication during transition period (hotline, on-call personnel) • When appropriate, share your own experiences with transition • Re-fresh skills learned in orientation (such as directions through the building, doing laundry, etc.) • Offer peer mentorship

27. Accommodations: Managing Stress • Reinforce time management techniques • Identify support personnel • Teach money management skills • Invite therapy animals organization onto site for visit

28. Accommodations: Exhibiting Appropriate Social Skills • Develop simple and appropriate code of conduct for environment: • Acceptable verbal language or gestures • Engaging in debate or discussion • Acceptable student interaction • Environments might require different codes of conduct: • Classroom/career technical • Lunchroom • Dorms or common areas • Recreation • Out in the community

29. Accommodations: Exhibiting Appropriate Social Skills • Practice appropriate social skills • Role play • Video demonstration • Encourage all students to model appropriate social skills • Use a peer, tutor, and/or mentor to reinforce appropriate social skills • Reward/praise student engaging in appropriate behavior

30. Accommodations: Exhibiting Appropriate Social Skills • Identify the “out” for those times when the student cannot demonstrate appropriate skills • Hand gesture, word, or signal • Where to go to regain composure • How to return/re-engage in environment

31. Accommodations: Communicating with Others • Adjust method of communication • One-on-one • Face-to-face • In the presence of another • Teach/model appropriate communication skills • Addressing person by name or title • Waiting to speak (not interrupting others) • How to enter another group’s conversation

32. Reasonable Accommodation vs. Case management

33. Health Case Management (CM) • Definition of case management: “a collaborative process of assessment, planning, facilitation and advocacy for options and services to meet an individual’s health needs through communication and available resources to promote quality cost-effective outcomes.” Case Management Society of America

34. Case Management Examples • A student who is diabetic is monitored for medication compliance, glucose levels, and knowledge of condition in the wellness center • A student with a depressive disorder is monitored for changes in behavior. If a concern, an appointment with the CMHC may occur.

35. Relationship Between CM & RA Reasonable Accommodation Plan Health Case Management Plan Includes information regarding the student’s condition and the condition will be managed • Student must have a disability • Should be individualized and should not contain medical information • Used to inform staff of the specific accommodations the student must be provided • Accommodations afford access and are not intended to treat a condition

36. Reasonable Accommodation is NOT • Therapy • Medication • Treatment

37. Example: Asthma Health Case Management Reasonable Accommodation May or may not include reasonable accommodations Schedule adjustments for off center appointments Use of additional safety equipment in certain conditions • Offer medical identification bracelet • Provide self-management education • Discuss trade selection • Discuss life style changes, smoking cessation • Educate student and staff about condition

38. Example: Diabetes Health Case Management Reasonable Accommodation Schedule adjustments to leave class to obtain snack or check levels Refrigerator in dorm room for medications Food or drink in areas otherwise prohibited but which do not pose a safety hazard • Monitor glucose testing • Annual vision exam • Dental exam • Offer medical identification bracelet • Regular follow up

39. Example: Schizophrenia Health Case Management Reasonable Accommodation Allow flexible training schedule–breaks when needed Provide a quiet place to complete assignments/tests Locate a quiet place in the dorm when student is stressed Single room or fewer roommates when available • Offer medical identification bracelet • Provide self-management education • Discuss trade selection • Discuss life style changes, smoking cessation • Educate student and staff about condition

40. How will information be shared? Health Case Management Reasonable Accommodation Shared via CISaccommodation plan icon, all staff who work with students have a need to know this information Ex. ensure student can read all dorm instructions Ex. Student may take a short break • Shared individually with staff who have need to know by clinician, usually HWM • Ex. watch for medication side effects, changes in behavior • Ex. Information about a medical condition and/or manifestations

41. Accommodations or Case Management Supports/Strategies? • Provide a place for down time and/or time to be alone each day. • Provide a peer buddy for support. • Educate other students about Asperger’s Syndrome. • Conduct role playing to teach the use of pragmatic language and social cues (i.e., when is it ok to interrupt, taking turns speaking).

42. Accommodations or Case Management Supports/Strategies? • Break down directions into simple steps. • Attend therapy session. • Provide visual or electronic organizers for daily routine. Review each day’s activities and if using a visual organizer, have student highlight any changes in routine. • Take medication as prescribed.

43. CM or RA Review? • Medication Management • Schedule Adjustments • Medication Compliance • Therapy or Counseling Sessions • Distraction Free Space • Large Print • Mental Health Stability

44. CSO/SPO and Residential RAC Process Need to Know

45. Reasonable Accommodation Committee (RAC) • The RAC consists of center staff and community-based service providers. Participants will vary depending on the nature of the request, but may include: • DCs • Applicant/student (required) • CMHC • Career technical staff • Career counselor/other CDSS staff

46. Who Else Can Participate • CSO • Safety officer • Community-based service providers (e.g., VR counselor, high school/ charter representatives, etc.) • Facilities manager • Food services manager • TEAP specialist • Center director • Residential manager • Others as deemed appropriate and necessary

47. RAC’s Role in Developing Accommodation Plans • Review & discuss needed accommodations • For an enrolled applicant • For a student • Interview the applicant /student– interaction is required • Review previous documentation (e.g. IEPs, 504 plans, psychological & other evaluations) • Develop the accommodation plan

48. Where can I find the Accommodation Plans? • CIS • .

50. Notification • A weekly email notification should be sent to center staff informing them of students with new or updated accommodation plans that are available in CIS. • This weekly email should only be sent out to center staff who would be involved in the provision of accommodations to students. • Create an accommodation plan notification distribution list. Avoid using the center’s “All staff” e-mail account as it may include non center staff or those that do not need this information. • May also send notification to managers who can inform their staff